CREEPY PLACES TO VISIT- The CROOKED SPIRE – Chesterfield

The crooked spire of Chesterfield’s St Marys and All saints church is quite a famous landmark in Chesterfields skyline. How the spire came to be can be quite simply explained by the use of green or unseasoned timber in its construction. However, in common folklore, there are numerous explanations as to why the spire is twisted.

One well-established legend goes that a virgin once married in the church, and the church was so surprised that the spire turned around to look at the bride, and continues that if another virgin marries in the church, the spire will return to true again. Several local legends hold that the Devil was responsible. In one tale, a Bolsover blacksmith mis-shod the Devil, who leapt over the spire in pain, knocking it out of shape.

A similar story has the Devil causing mischief in Chesterfield, seating himself on the spire and wrapping his tail around it. The people of the town rang the church bells and the Devil, frightened by the clamour, tried to jump away with his tail still wound about the spire, causing it to twist.